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attained to that position. He has endeavoured to reduce to nonentities all the foreign Ministers, and that, since the time of Sir Harry Parkes, he succeeded in doing so with British Ministers admits of very little doubt. That his influence has seriously interfered with British interests I do not at present say, as that is not the ques- tion immediately before us; but that his present position ought to debar the British Government from seeking his advice either direct from Pe- king or through his London agents seems self evident. That as British Minister he would have been (perhaps in view of possible even- tualities I may add, or would be) acceptable to the Chinese Government is extremely unlikely, and that, as having been their former servant, they would not accord him the deference which a British Minister ought to demand may be taken for granted.
But there is a still more dangerous source to which the Foreign Office seems to look for information, and it would almost appear as if they looked to it for advice and guidance also; that is, the Chinese Legation in London. Lord Salisbury on the important occasion of his reply to the address on the speech from the throne, said, "I am bound to say that that feeling, so far as we know, is fully shared by the Chinese Government itself. The Emperor of China caused his Minister at this Court to convey to me the extreme horror and indignation with which he had heard the news and his resolution to bring to speedy and condign justice those who are guilty of these atrocious crimes." This needs no comment here. We who are on the spot can only lament the little wisdom with which the Foreign Office appears to be governed in conducting our relations with China. Even knowledge of his own special province does not seem to come to the aid of our Foreign Minister. As a resident in China before Sir Thomas Wade (or was Sir Robert Hart the real in- stigator P) induced the Chinese Government to send ambassadors to Europe, and being perforce a student of our political and com-
mercial relations with China, I have always held that the appointment of these ambassadors was far the greatest blow which British and indeed all foreign interestsa has ever suffered.
pharied that chool forms would be trans- ferred from roking to London, that is, from men who had some opportunity of judging for themselves and of learning residents' opinions of Chinese character to men who had none, to those who would judge a Chinese ambassador to be a man like unto themselves, and who, even being trained diplomatists, would have no conception of the chicanery of the Chinamen or of their Chinese-trained foreign advisers. Was I right? I hold the same opinion more strongly now. Yours faithfully,
Hongkong, 18th September, 1895.
THE SHANGHAI-NANKING RAILWAY.
W.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
will be given the opportunity of acting as Govern- ment agencies at the various towns. There is every reason to believe that the first two schemes named above will be inaugurated very shortly, the various head officers of the movement having been already fixed upon by the provincial Government in question.-N. C. Daily News telegram.
STONING A BRITISH CONSUL.
He
Our Wenchow correspondent writing on the 10th inst. relates the following incident-Our Consul had a lively half-hour the other day, in passing through the hsien city of Iue-an. He was returning from a visit to Ping-yang, and like all other foreign travellers going to or coming from that city had to pass through a portion of Iue-an. He had heard that foreigners were generally stoned, etc., when passing through that place, and so had taken the precaution to have a guard of yamen runners. All passed off well during his short passage through the city, and he was congratulating himself on his peaceful progress as he entered his boat. soon learned the temper of the people, however, for no sooner had he got into his boat than a shower of missiles came from the people on the banks of the canal, and the usual vile yells rang from their throats. The windows of his boat were soon smashed, also a portion of his travel
This disgraceful state of ling crockery. things lasted about a quarter of an hour, when the tipaos of the district turned up and somehow got the people to desist. If a Consul is thus treated, what wonder that missionaries are sometimes roughly used? The Iue-an Magistrate came up to Wenchow to apologise for the discourtesy manifested to H.M. British Consul, and we are hoping that an improvement in the attitude of the people towards foreigners will take place as a result of the rough experience of our Consul. literature is being sold here and being scattered over the whole district, implicating the British with the Formosan trouble. It is asserted that England has been helping and is helping Japan. stirring up much bad feeling. These This small books are printed in Wenchow, and ought certainly to be put a stop to.-China Gazette.
Chinese
ABANDONMENT OF THE OPIUM SQUEEZE.
a
to
time
any
[September 26, 1895.
while a number of natives, compradores and others, who were advancing cheerfully in anti- cipation of a handsome return, have gone smash, one of them leaving a foreign firm, of which he was a trusted servant, minus several thousand taols-China Gazette.
V
HONGKONG.
Business has been very brisk at the Supreme Court this week, and in addition to the civil cases there was a case of murderous assault tried at the Criminal Sessions, and the prisoner was
given a deservedly heavy punishment. Several vessels have come into harbour reporting meeting with a typhoon and sustaining con- siderable damage. The Willard Opera Company closed its season last night. On the 17th inst. the man who took a leading part in the stoning of a party of visitors at Kowloon City was given two hundred strokes with a bamboo. annual meeting of the Hongkong Football Club was held on Thursday, and on Saturday the shareholders of the Douglas Steamship Com- pany held their meeting.
The
There were 2,102 visitors to the City Hall Museum last week, of whom 189 were Europeans. A patient suffering from plague, who had been residing on the ground floor of No. 44, Second Street, was admitted into the Kennedy- town Hospital on the 16th inst. and died the
same evening.
Holders of the stock of the Hongkong and Whampoa Dock Company may be interested to hear that, so soon as the military operations are over in South Formosa, several of the Japanese transports will be sent here to be docked.
There has been a rumour amongst the Chinese during the last day or two that Li Hung-chang had taken poison and succumbed to its effects. We have been unable to obtain any reliable confirmation of the rumour, which is probably unfounded.
1
A horse drowned himself in the harbour two
days ago. He was harnessed to a trap and was being driven by a Chinaman when the animal suddenly made up his mind to rush off the Neither the driver nor the Praya into the sea. cart was injured, but the horse was drowned.
'On Monday afternoon Hon. H. E. Wodehouse held an inquiry concerning the death of Chinaman who was employed at the Sugar Refinery. The deceased fell into a tank of boiling sugar, and suffered such injuries that he died soon afterwards. A verdict of ac- cidental death was recorded.
Leung Shun Cheung, who returned from banishment and who is alleged to have fired at a district watchman, was sent to gaol at the Magistracy on the 18th inst. for twelve months on the first charge. He had been committed for trial, but the Attorney-General sent the case back to be dealt with by the Magistrate
Shanghai, 13th September. When the Chinese provincial authorities some Peking Government, attempted to impose an months ago, acting on the suggestion of the extra and altogether illegal war tax of Tls. 20 per chest (which was afterwards reduced to Tls. 12 per chest or picul) upon all imported opium, their object was three-fold; first and most important, till their Own personal pockets at the expense of the helpless and The Queen, on 12th August, held a Second stupid consumers of opium; secondly, to Private Investiture of the Orders of the Bath, contribute
Indian certain
St. Michael and St. George, the without sum sacrifice to the Imperial exchequer, which Empire, and the Distinguished Service Order. Peking, 18th September. would be recognized by the bestowal of Her Majesty, accompanied by Her Royal Louise (Marchioness of The Emperor gave consent a short time ago.honours and reward and thirdly, to handi- Highness Princess to a joint proposition of the Viceroy Chang of cap India opium to the great advantage of Lorne) and Her Highness Princess Victoria of Nanking and Governor Chao of Soochow to the native drug, in which many of the Schleswig-Holstein, entered the Council Room connect the latter city with Shanghai by a highest officials in the Empire have an im-shortly after three o'clock. Amongst the Com-
interest. The railway. When this is completed the line is to portant but illegal
great panions of the Order of St. Michael and St. be extended northwards through Wusieh on to British opium importers lost no in George introduced into the presence of the Chinkiang, and from thence westwards a branch bringing the subject to the attention of Sovereign was Mr. Francis Henry May, Captain line will be laid to Nanking. All these cities the authorities, but little was done by Superintendent of Police in the colony of are in Kiangsu province. A secret decree has their representatives in China in the matter. Hongkong, Her Majesty was graciously pleased to affix to Mr. May's left breast the decoration been sent to the two high officials to commence The Indian Government, however, was not so work as soon as practicable.
slow to move and strong representations of the Order into which he has been admitted.
The light at Cape D'Aguilar will be exhibited were at its instance forwarded to Peking, pointing out the irregularity of the pro-. for the last time on the 29th February next. posed ineasure. The result has been the Since the lighthouse on Waglan Island was The erected about two years ago the Cape D'Aguilar collapse of the entire little scheme. office which was opened in Shanghai at light has been of little or no use, as the Waglan the back of the opium dealers' guild, by light has served as guide to vessels coming from the advice of a foreign adviser of the Chinese, or going to the North. There was a talk was shut up a couple of days ago, and the of placing the spare light at Kowloon mandarins myrmidons, who were installed there Point as a harbour light, but this idea has been with all their "chops," sign boards, seals, and abandoned, as practically no benefit would be
Some people have depre so forth, necessary for the regular collection derived therefrom. of the proposed illicit revenue, have betaken cated the removal of Cape D'Aguilar light, themselves off elsewhere, and the Opium War as Waglan Island belongs to China and in Tax office is deserted and desolate to-day. A case of trouble with England its light would certain mandarin who was to have a lucrative be extinguished. In such an event, however, office in connection with the collection of this the island would be taken possession of by Eng proposed tax, is looking out for another "job," | land for the time being..
This is apparently to forestall an anticipated demand of the Japanese to be allowed to build a railway between Shanghai and Soochow and Hangchow as soon as these two ports shall have been formally opened as treaty ports. It is also averred that the Emperor has given his consent to a scheme strongly recommended by the Viceroy Chang, with the cognisance of Governor Chao, for the establishment by a Chinese syndicate of a river steamboat ser- vice between Shanghai, Soochow, and way towns. This new steamboat company will also undertake to carry the mails. The Kiangsu Government will be given the power to in- augurate the postal administration on European lines, and to simplify matters as well as to avoid friction, the numerous private postal agencies